Quiznos, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Mamma Leone’s. Soon they will all be found on campus. That’s correct. Not downtown, not at the mall, but right here on campus.

While the days of a sit-down dinner served family style are long gone, many alumni would have never expected fast food restaurants to be part of the campus landscape.

This influx is a result of the new food service contract that was awarded over the summer to Chartwells, one of the largest companies providing food to colleges and universities across the country.

Quiznos, Chick-fil-A, and Starbucks will be complete franchise stores, just like you see anywhere, complete with their full menus. Chick-fil-A will even adhere to its rule of closing on Sundays.

The first to open will be Quiznos. It is being constructed from the ground up in the Raider Room. Originally scheduled to be open at the start of classes, it will open mid-semester. Part of the delay is due to relocating the restaurant. Originally it was to replace the convenience store outside the Raider Room, but in talking with students Chartwells officials realized the students wanted to keep the store. Keeping Quinzos company in the Raider Room will be Chick-fil-A, now scheduled to open sometime second semester.

Perhaps the most eagerly awaited addition is Starbucks which will be located in the library to the right of the main doors. Opening is scheduled for February 2007. Late night hours and local food additions to Starbuck fare are already in the planning stages.

Some students never make it inside Kriner Dining Hall finding they can satisfy their hunger in the lobby by choosing to eat Tex-Mex or enjoy the offerings of Mamma Leone’s, as seen here.

Mamma Leone’s and Zona Mexicana were opened this fall in the lobby of Kriner Dining Hall. These two renovated areas, along with the new color scheme in Reisner Dining Hall are probably the most visible changes. Different pricing and a new computer/register system also garnered students’ attention.

Perhaps the most welcomed change associated with the new contract is the expansion and renovation of Reisner Dining Hall. According to Dr. Roger Serr, interim vice president for student affairs, Reisner is “very close to being obsolete. The students basically will find a whole new building…Reisner will not be anything like what everyone now knows.”

First up will be the construction of an addition to the existing facility. Once that is complete, it will be the campus dining area while the remainder of the building is gutted and renovated.

In the design phase, the current depiction of the Reisner addition is shown here. The CUB and Franklin Science Center are out of view on the right and the two red buildings in the rear are McLean and Naugle residence halls.

Currently in the design phase, construction is expected to begin in February 2007, with the entire project scheduled for completion in the summer of 2009. The new facility will have over 22,000 square feet of seating for almost 1,000 diners. Cooking stations will be throughout, kitchens upgraded, and multipurpose space for meetings, conferences, and banquets will be included.

Much of the new contract is designed to offer the campus community more choices at more locations. Cash and credit cards are accepted at most locations and flex dollars will continue. And many expect the new additions will draw customers from off-campus as well.

Meanwhile, Chartwells is not waiting on the renovations to make changes. Both dining halls feature made-to-order food right in the dining area, an expanded selection of breakfast cereals available through the day, and sundae bars with a selection of ice cream flavors and toppings.

Another expected innovation is the availability of free late-night food on Sunday nights in Reisner for any student on a current meal plan.

According to Nick Iula, director of campus dining services, the Chartwells philosophy is to conduct business as if it were a restaurant, and the students are its valued customers.

Many changes are not obvious. “Nothing behind the scenes in food preparation is the same,” Nick said. “We brought in our own recipes and reorganized the kitchens to better match our methods of preparing foods. Our own way of doing things may not be noticeable to our customers, but we notice.” He pointed out pre-packaged or pre-prepared foods are not part of Chartwells commitment to quality.

Chartwells is proud of its tradition of buying as much of their food from local growers as possible and they expect the Shippensburg area to yield some great suppliers.

In addition to providing good nutrition and delicious food, the company runs special events and promotions throughout the year. In recent weeks, special events included the foods of summer, Pennsylvania dining – featuring Philly cheese steaks among other specialties, and a carnival complete with popcorn and cotton candy.

Interested in checking more of how campus dining is changing, check out the Chartwells website at http://dineoncampus.com/ship.

Chefs make foods to order for most meals in both dining halls. After making his selections, a student waits as the chef prepares his personalized wrap. In the background, the newly painted walls in Reisner give the dining room a new look.